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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089061">An opportune accident</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minne_My/pseuds/Minne_My'>Minne_My</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Worst Witch (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Marriage, Arranged Marriage, F/F, Strangers to Lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:54:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minne_My/pseuds/Minne_My</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ada &amp; Hecate end up accidentally engaged to be married</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ada Cackle/Hecate Hardbroom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Hackle Summer Trope Challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An opportune accident</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the challenge prompt 'accidental marriage'</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘I didn’t know this was going to happen, I swear.’</p><p>Ada turned on the hapless Deirdre Swoop, on the verge of losing her temper. This was a rare occurrence, happening approximately twice a year but this was no ordinary occurrence.</p><p>‘<em>How</em> did this happen?’</p><p>The Swoop girl flinched.</p><p>‘Erm…well…it turns out that Constance Hardbroom isn’t in the country anymore. She’s…gone to Romania with a vampire study group. Not sure when she’ll be back.’</p><p>Ada felt like her face was melting. In hindsight she realised that it was the uncommon expression she was using, one that signified incredulity. She didn’t have much experience with this kind of expression but it told the recipient that she thought she was insane.</p><p>‘I didn’t know about the switch until I arrived to escort her here.’</p><p>‘And what am I supposed to do with this one?’ Ada flapped her hand at Hecate who was standing demurely by Miss Swoop’s side. The messenger fumbled around with the bum bag strapped around her waist and produced a crumpled letter.</p><p>‘Well I mean you were supposed to marry a Hardbroom so maybe they thought it didn’t matter which one?’</p><p>‘Give me that.’</p><p>Swoop handed it over. Ada scanned the letter and sighed. The Hardbroom family were going to receive a strongly worded reply to this. She’d been betrothed to one of their daughters since they were five. This daughter was a lot younger than the one she had been matched to. Alma wasn’t going to be happy. The replacement stepped forward. She vaguely resembled her errant sister.</p><p>‘I realise that you were expecting Constance and I will tell my aunt that there is no excuse for not letting you know in time but now that I’m here, perhaps we can discuss this?’</p><p>Ada’s anger evaporated.</p><p>‘Very well. It’s not your fault. Neither of you. Well met, Hecate is it?’</p><p>She ushered them inside, up to her office for tea in front of the fire.</p><p>‘I say, it is jolly good of you’ started Miss Swoop.</p><p>Ada apologised for her rudeness towards her. Miss Hecate Hardbroom watched her new fiancée carefully. She’d heard vulgar stories of the other Cackle twin and was glad that none of her sisters were betrothed to Agatha. Ada seemed like a pussy cat in comparison, wrapped in her fluffy pink jumper. The woman in question turned to her.</p><p>‘I was assured that Constance is a brilliant potions mistress. I don’t suppose you have talents that lie in a similar fashion?’</p><p>Hecate smiled.</p><p>‘I am every bit as competent as potions as she. We were taught together and developed our dedication to the subject together.’</p><p>That was something. The Hardbrooms were poor as church mice and the only dowry they could ensure for their children was to make sure that their extraordinary magical skills were expertly honed. Any school would be lucky to have a Hardbroom. However, as Alma had managed to secure a betrothal, the daughter in question would be sent to Cackle’s not just as a teacher but to be a wife. Ada hadn’t reckoned on such a young woman although she looked sensible as all Hardbrooms were known to be. But she had no wish to trap her into this arrangement against her wishes.</p><p>‘We will arrange to have this betrothal annulled if you prefer. I won’t make you stay here’ she said gently.</p><p>Hecate considered it.</p><p>‘Perhaps if you give me a tour around the school?’</p><p>She sipped her tea meaningfully. Ada correctly interpreted it as a bargain, a generous potions lab in exchange for her hand in marriage. They left Miss Swoop stuffing herself with tea cakes and took the tour. Hecate was impressed by everything. She liked that she had her own bedroom and sitting room, she liked the size of the school and she especially liked the well-stocked potions lab and the immense space at her disposal.</p><p>‘Well this seems…rather satisfactory. I see no reason to decline such an offer.’</p><p>Ada was surprised at such a quick decision.</p><p>‘And here was me thinking that unlimited hot drinks and baked goods was the way to persuade you’ she joked. Hecate looked at her and smiled serenely.</p><p>‘Throw in a familiar and I’m yours.’</p><p>Ada promised her a familiar of her choosing, whatever creature she wanted. She took Hecate back to her office and showed her the engagement present she had intended for Constance. If she accepted it, the marriage was good as sealed. Hecate’s eye gleamed at the shiny pocket watch sat in its velvet box. She took her time in examining it and Ada left her to it, making small talk with Miss Swoop who had turned out to be rather more interesting than she seemed.</p><p>Hecate turned around, watch in hand and said ‘A black cat.’</p><p>Ada was glad she hadn’t said badger. Or hedgehog. A black cat would be perfect. She nodded and smiled.</p><p>‘We will go and get one this week if you like’ she promised her. Hecate looked at the watch, already clicked open. It looked like it was made for her, nestled in her palm. After a while she slipped it over her head and arranged it carefully on her person. It was perfect.</p><p>‘Almost as if it were made for you’ observed Ada in amazement.</p><p>Hecate looked up and deliberately held her gaze.</p><p>‘Very well’ she said.</p><p>There was a challenge flicking in her eyes. There was a confirmation in those words. Ada decided that she might like this replacement after all. They’d muddle along together just fine.</p>
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